How Andreessen Horowitz Disrupted VC & What’s Coming Next
Show Notes
On this episode, taken from The Ben & Marc Show, a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz dive deep into the unfiltered story behind the founding of Andreessen Horowitz—and how they set out to reinvent venture capital itself.
For the first time, Marc and Ben walk through the origins, strategy, and philosophy behind building a world-class venture capital firm designed for the future—not just the next fund. They reveal how they broke industry norms with a bold brand, a full-stack support model, and a long-term commitment to backing exceptional builders—anchored in the radical idea that founders deserved real support, not just checks.
Joining them to guide the conversation is Erik Torenberg—Andreessen Horowitz’s newest General Partner—who makes his Ben & Marc Show moderating debut. Erik is a technology entrepreneur, investor, and founder of the media company Turpentine.
Together, they explore:
- Why traditional VC needed reinvention
- How a16z scaled with a platform model, not a partner model
- The "barbell strategy" reshaping venture capital today
- Why venture remains a human craft, even in the age of AI
Timecodes:
- Intro
- Why Traditional Venture Capital Was Broken
- Marc on Discovering VC and Its Legends
- Surviving the Dot-Com Crash and Angel Investing Collapse
- Helping Founders Raise Venture / Fix VC Relationships
- The a16z Strategy: Building a Support Platform
- First Fund Wins: Skype, Instagram, Slack, Okta
- Building a 'World-Dominating Monster' - The Sushi Boat VC Problem
- Treating LPs Differently
- Marc and Ben's Working Relationship
- Updating a16z’s Media Strategy for the Social Era
- History of the Decentralized Media Environment
- Decline of Corporate Brands and Going Direct
- Naming the Firm
- Building the a16z 'Cinematic Universe' of Talent
- Creating a Federated Model
- Deciding to Market the Firm
- Recruiting General Partners
- Evolution to Full-Stack Companies
- The Barbell Theory: The Death of Mid-Sized VCs
- Why Venture Capital Should Stay Overfunded
- When a16z Knew It Could Be Top Tier
- Venture Capital is an Art, Not a Science
Resources:
Marc on X: https://twitter.com/pmarca
Marc’s Substack: https://pmarca.substack.com/
Ben on X: https://twitter.com/bhorowitz
Erik on X: https://x.com/eriktorenberg
Erik's Substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/
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Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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